Nikon SJ1 Speedlight Flash Color Filter Set

by Nikon

Product Details

• Item Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B00092K2IO
• Item model number: FSW53701
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 25, 2006

Product Description

The SJ-1 allows for modification of the flash output to be matched to the background scene. This is especially useful for digital cameras where "white balance" can be controlled. For instance, when shooting with a flash under fluorescent lights the foreground will be white, but the background will still have a green cast. By using a green filter the flash output gets converted to match the rest of the scene, and the camera's White Balance setting can then be set to "Fluorescent". The blue, yellow, red and amber filters can be used for creative lighting control, and can add dramatic colors to the image, especially when more than one flash is used

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars By Far the Worst Nikon Product I Have Ever Purchased, September 10, 2009

By 

Andrew M. (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nikon SJ1 Speedlight Flash Color Filter Set (Electronics)

First off, I am a big fan of Nikon products and I use Nikon exclusively for my photography pursuits. I wanted to improve the results I get from flash photography, which I find to be one of the bigger challenges to learning this craft. So I purchased the great Joe McNally's book "The Hotshoe Diaries", and have been reading the amazing flash photography how-to blog "Strobist" [...]

Both of these very highly regarded sources discuss at length that you need to color your flash with colored gels in order to balance the bright white light from your flash with the ambient light of your subject. No problem. To achieve that end, I figured that since I already own a Nikon SB-600 flash unit, why not purchase gels that were made for the flash? Such a conclusion seems logical enough, yet these gels are flimsy, require scotch tape to stay on, and are about as useful as coating your flash lens with a dry erase marker.

After purchasing these gels I quickly learned the error of my assumptions and wanted to post my experience so others don't make the same mistake. For a mere $6.50 I could have bought (and eventually did) a 20x24" SHEET of any given color from B&H (they also sell some of the more widely used colors here on Amazon - namely 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or full CTO or "Color Temperature Orange" - which is the most important color to have).

I spent about $40 for much better quality gel that I can cut out myself and attach using a Honl or Lumiquest velcro speed strap. As an aside, the Strobist says that you can get similar results with velcro strips you can purchase at any hardware store. Just pick up some velcro at a local store, attach it to the gel cut outs, and you now have the ability to switch your gels quickly and without the need for scotch tape, which just ends up tearing your gels anyway.

[...]

These sheets can be cut up into many pieces that you can use on your flash. It's far more cost effective this way and you can velcro these on. The Nikon SJ-1's are flimsy and hang onto the flash without covering it completely unless you scotch tape them, which COMPLETELY defeats the purpose of having gels that are made for my flash! The scotch tape eventually ruins the gel and also means you are shooting light through a piece of scotch tape in addition to the gel. It also means you now need to carry around a roll of scotch tape whenever you go out shooting.

I got far more value than the Nikon SJ-1 gel pack with a [...] Roscogel swatchbook. The Cinegel swatchbook cost me a whopping [...] and has at least 50 shades of different gel colors. According to Joe McNally's book and blog, the CTO, plusgreen and CTB colors are the ones you will likely need the most anyway (see:http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/whats-in-the-bag/).

The Nikon SJ-1 gel pack is not a good purchase and I highly recommend the alternatives listed above (or on Joe's blog), or if you don't want to cut the gel yourself, try the Honl velcro gels. They are pricey but look like they are pretty good quality.

The little plastic carrying case is kind of nice but you are better off using a business card holder anyway.

[....]

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the money, April 2, 2009

By 

John A. Fugel "Crab Lover" (Roanoke, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nikon SJ1 Speedlight Flash Color Filter Set (Electronics)

I'm a devoted Nikon shooter (35+ years) and have used just about every Nikon accessory at one time or another. These filters are great, but I think Nikon is charging way too much money for an item that you can make cheaper and faster (and more durable and useful) yourself. I use an 8x10 sheet of Lee filters and cut out individual pieces. Add a little velco (available the Dollar Store) to the top and bottom. Use it with a Honl (www.honlphoto.com) velcro speedstrap on your SB-900, 800 or 600. Honl offers these filters too, but it's so easy to make them yourself, why spend the cash?
I've used both color balancing and colored filters on a wide variety of photo shoots. I shoot a lot of high-tech and telecom equipment and I often use a color filtered speedlight behind the equipment rack - adds drama and clients love the look.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Does what its supposed to once you get it on there., April 3, 2009

By 

R. Cole "areohbeeceeohelee" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nikon SJ1 Speedlight Flash Color Filter Set (Electronics)

They're difficult to get in and out of the wallet, and dont stay on the speedlight as well as I'd like. If I had it to do over again, I may go with the cut-yer-own sheets and leave gaffers tape on my speedlight - quicker, cheaper, and stay put better. Also, there should be more of the color-balancing ones instead of the creative ones, since most people use them more.